We Can If We Want
by Amon Kashino
Summary: An Ashley/Ricky/Amy triangle. Starting off with the kiss in the garage. Ashley/Ricky-centric in the beginning. Slight Adrian/Ben/Grace triangle later. Future pairings undecided.
1. Chapter I  The Start Of Something Big

**We Can If We Want**

**By: Amon Kashino**

**Chapter I * Beginning of something big**

"What's going on?" Ricky asked after George had left.

"I don't know" Ashley said glancing around her room.

"Yeah you do" he replied back quickly.

She fought back a sigh "yeah I do, um, but I don't want to talk about it."

"All right" he said shrugging "I guess I'll just say goodnight" he watched Ashley's green eyes dart to the ground and she looked as though she wanted to say something, Ricky blinked "should I say goodnight?"

Ashley didn't want to say anything so she just shook her head no; Ricky didn't even hesitate walking over to her, pulling his hands from his pockets he pulled her into a hug which she returned eagerly.

"Tell me what's wrong" he said softly.

She tried to reign in her emotions "does it ever go right? Does the right girl ever find the right guy?"

"Sure" he replied with a half smirk as he pulled back.

"Sure?"

"Yeah" he nodded "sure, it can happen."

Ashley's eyes flicked between Ricky's deep brown eyes and his lips.

She leaned forward to kiss him but he turned his head "I can't… we can't Ashley."

"We can if we want" she replied moving forward again.

"No we can't" he responded but he didn't move back as Ashley tried to kiss him again, he didn't move into it at first but as her soft lips pressed against his he pushed into her deepening the kiss.

He had so many thoughts and emotions running through his head, he went to pull back only to find she had wrapped her arms around his neck. He could have fought maybe even should have, but he didn't instead his hands found themselves at her waist pulling her hips into his.

They paused in kissing when Ashley's alarm clock went off, which was set to 'radio' they almost laughed when a song began to play setting a new mood but not killing it.

She started kissing him again.

_Everybody's looking for love. Oh. Oh.  
Ain't that the reason you're at this club. Oh. Oh.  
You ain't gonna find a dance with him. No. Oh.  
Got a better solution for you girl. Oh. Oh._

Ricky smirked as he felt Ashley's tongue press cautiously into his mouth; he reciprocated deepening their make out session.__

Just stay with me now. Say the word and well go.  
I'll be your teacher. I'll show you the ropes.  
You'll see a side of love you've never known.  
I can see it going down, going down.

They pulled back breathing heavily as the chorus started but they paid no attention to it, Ashley glanced at the radio thinking on the lyrics "will you teach me?" she looked back up into his deep brown eyes. The rest of the song was drowned out by the sound of his heart beat in his ears, he didn't hate what was happening but Amy and her family were just warming up to him.

He couldn't ruin that, he had to think, sighing he pulled back and Ashley didn't hold him letting her hands slide to his chest as he pulled back almost out of her reach "I… damn it" he didn't know what to say so he turned and walked out quickly.

Ashley forgot about the song playing and just felt her heart beating erratically in her chest, bringing her hand to her mouth she touched her lips gently "I think I love you…" she whispered to herself.

**xxxXxxx**

**A few days later**

**xxxXxxx**

They hadn't talked about it. Ashley had tried bringing it up but Ricky either ignored it or her, she wasn't angry at him though, she knew it was a lot to take in and she hadn't even told him she might be in love with him all he knew was she was physically attracted to him.

Her parents hadn't told her to stay away from him but almost every time she was alone with him one of them would show up. Right now they were having movie night, Anne and George sat on the couch watching the movie. Ashley sat in their peripheral vision on the love seat Ricky was on the other side of the room in the recliner and John was on the floor watching the movie.

Ashley wasn't paying attention to the movie, some family film since John was watching it too, but she snapped to attention to the vibrating in her lap.

She glanced at her parents and noticed they weren't paying attention, looking back at her phone she flipped it open.

**Ricky: I'm sorry.**

She looked across the room and saw him watching the television but his cell phone was in his hand. A minute later his phone vibrated with a new message.

**Ashley: For?**

He didn't look over to her but just began texting quietly.

**Ricky: The kiss… **

**Ashley: Why? I'm not.**

**Ricky: Let's just not go there, it happened no changing that but it can't again.**

Ashley didn't reply right away but Ricky showed no sign that he even cared, but then his phone vibrated again.

**Ashley: What if I want it to?**

She waited for a few minutes but realized Ricky wouldn't reply when she saw him stuff his phone in his pocket from the corner of her eye. After that they watched the movie and Ricky was gone with John as soon as it ended and Ashley told her parents goodnight before walking to her room quietly.

**xxxXxxx**

**Next day ~ Grant High School**

**xxxXxxx**

It had been almost a week since their kiss and Ricky had been doing a great job of avoiding Ashley or being alone with her.

Until today.

He walked into the councilor's office to ask a question, nothing important, but he noticed she wasn't there and as he turned to leave Ashley stepped in closing the door. He sighed and was about to just step around her until he found her hands on his chest.

"Ricky" she said her voice full of emotions she normally wouldn't show "please wait."

He didn't say anything but didn't leave, taking that as a good sign Ashley stepped closer keeping her hands on him "why won't you give me a chance?"

He looked away from her "we can't."

"Why can't we?" she pleaded "I know you feel it, every time we are close to each other, every time we look at each other… I know you can feel it, I can see it in your eyes. Everyone can."

He sighed softly "that's not enough…"

"I didn't sleep with Grant because of you" she said "everyone can see there is something between us, and there is nothing wrong with us trying… we're both single, my parents wouldn't like it but there is nothing wrong with it."

"I have a kid" he said looking back into her eyes "with your sister."

She hugged him "but that has nothing to do with us. You're not with Amy, and just because you have John doesn't mean we can't be together."

"Look Ashley" he said as the girl was still hugging him "you're parents wouldn't allow it, Amy wouldn't be too happy about it and you're like family… a little sister."

She pulled back enough to look up at him "that's bullshit; I know you feel the chemistry between us."

Before he could create a comeback her lips were on his passionately and needy. He gave in easily, even while his head was telling him nothing good could come from this. Minutes later their tongues were battling, Ashley was sitting on the desk legs wrapped around Ricky's waist her arms locked around his neck. One of his hands was on her thigh another just under her breast.

"Uh what are you doing on my desk!"

They broke apart to see the councilor staring at them in amusement "interesting" Dr. Wilameena Bink said "you get a warning, since I know how kids are, but don't let me catch doing this again, now get out."

They had stayed quiet throughout the whole ordeal, blushing they scurried out and then Wilameena sat down "wasn't that Amy's sister and the father of her child? What is wrong with this school?"

**xxxXxxx**

**A Few Weeks Later**

**xxxXxxx**

Ricky hadn't agreed to dating her, still he never stopped her from kissing him, but he never initiated physical contact. They hadn't had sex yet although she had been willing on more than one occasion now that she was on birth control. There had been heavy petting and really heavy make out sessions and on one occasion Ashley was able to convince Ricky to being partially undressed when they made out. But the making out was rare occurrences when she was alone with him at home or able to sneak to his apartment with him when he went there to pick up his mail.

Her parents had gotten suspicious of the two but couldn't prove anything and they didn't want to tell them to stay apart in case that pushed them together. Ashley had almost blown it when she had got mad at him for sleeping with another girl. He had told her they weren't dating, only making her angrier but also making her wonder if he was trying to push her away before they ended up having sex. Anne had come into the kitchen and saw her glaring at him but she just left and Ricky pretended nothing was out of the ordinary.

The morning after, Ricky got into another argument with Ashley, which George and Anne over heard from their room.

Ashley stepped out of the nursery only to see Ricky rounding the corner sleepily, rubbing his hands together "good morning."

"Yeah good morning" she said testily.

"Is John awake? I haven't heard him up" he said quietly.

"He's been awake, but he's back asleep now."

He looked down "I guess I overslept, sorry, thanks for getting him. I got in kinda late last night…"

"Who's asking?" she asked trying to hide her anger.

"I hadn't seen my mother in awhile and I wanted John to spend some time with her."

"You don't have to tell lies, we're not seeing each other" she said trying not to let the hurt show in her eyes.

"Yeah we're not, and I'm not lying" he said standing slightly closer to her.

"Really?" she asked unbelieving.

"Really" he responded easily.

She couldn't take any more of their game at the moment and moved around him to leave, Ricky turned "Ashley, I'm not lying."

She turned around the anger evident in her eyes as she walked right back up to him "listen up, I've never given you a reason to lie to me so don't lie to me… it's insulting that you would even think that I would care what you were doing. 'Cause I don't care what you were doing or who you were doing it with. Ok? I don't."

"But you were definitely not spending time with John at your mother's, I'm not stupid" she said turning away to leave again.

"I thought you didn't care" Ricky said as she walked away although he knew she did, and somewhere hidden in him he cared too.

She turned around again and came back "this is why you and I will never really be involved… ever."

"Because I took my son to visit my mother?" he asked still playing the game that Ashley had tried to walk away from.

George and Anne stood at their bedroom door listening in on what was happening as Ricky spoke "you and I could never be really involved because I could never marry you, and that's the only way I would really be involved with you."

"Oh no, you can't use that! That's my line, that's what I told you!" she said angrily although she knew they were already involved… physically at least but she wanted more.

"All right then" he said shaking his head "we're never going to be really involved because you're practically my sister-in-law."

"Huh sister-in-law! Is that right?" Ashley said letting her anger slip out slightly "then I guess you won't have any trouble telling your 'wife' the guy she really loves, Ben, is having a baby with the girl she really hates, Adrian. 'Cause there's only so long I can keep avoiding her, before I tell her myself!"

"You can't tell her, Ben has to be the one to tell her."

"Yeah he should be but he's not going to be," she stared at him "So the next time she calls I'm going to tell her you have something you want to tell her."

"I'm not going to tell her" he responded shaking his head.

"Why not she's your wife!" Ashley practically spit.

"I didn't say that" he responded smirking "you know what I'm talking about."

"Yeah I do know what you're talking about…"

"No, no, no, no, no do not blame me for what's been going on here" he said shaking his head.

George and Anne were leaning on their bedroom door "what's been going on here?" George asked Anne.

"Shh!" Anne responded with a finger to her mouth.

"You know what's been going on here" Ashley said her anger ebbing away slowly.

"Yeah I do and we should be ashamed of ourselves."

"Ashamed! You're not ashamed that you tricked Amy into having sex! But you're ashamed that you're feeling something for me?" her anger was turning into sadness and she fought the urge to cry.

"I didn't trick Amy; I did not trick her… I just didn't know that she didn't know what we were getting into and…" he stopped looking back into her eyes "and I don't have to explain that to you because you already know that."

His smirk made its way back to his face "and by the way, you started flirting with me long before I started flirting back."

"Oh I hate that word! No one's flirting with anyone, we have feelings for each other, real feelings" she said "it's not just a sexual attraction!"

George cringed "sexual! God!"

Anne waved and mouthed for him to be quiet.

"And you know what else, neither Amy or Adrian care if we have real feelings for each other!"

Ricky was trying to keep his feelings in check when being told the truth to his face "actually they might, especially Amy. As well as your mom and dad who can probably hear every word we're saying at this point."

"So why do you care! I don't care."

Ricky sighed and Ashley didn't even know where the argument was going any more "so what you've decided you want Amy now that you can't have Adrian?"

"No. And who says I can't have Adrian" his emotions hid back in place and his smirk back full force "if I want Adrian, or anyone else I want for that matter."

"Oh get over yourself" she said finally giving up and walking away.

"Wow what was that?" George asked Anne.

"That's the sound of Ashley falling in love with the wrong guy."

Ricky turned in the hallway hearing the two adults speaking "you can't be serious falling in love with Ricky! Maybe attracted to him… especially if it bugs her sister, but in love? No way."

"Either way" Anne said "it's just so… wrong."

"Not just wrong" George said "it's totally taboo."

Anne shrugged "eh well not totally taboo I guess, I mean he and Amy were only together that one time and… oh god am I actually trying to justify this?"

"This isn't happening, I'm gonna tell him to take John and go home."

"No" Anne pleaded "just tell him to leave John and go home for a few days, get away from all of us…"

"Good Idea" Ricky's voice said from behind their door.

The two adults looked at the door surprised then back at each other.

The next morning Ricky arrived at school with Ben but walked away from him when they entered, Ashley stood quietly at her locker as he came up.

"Hey" he said leaning next to her locker.

"My dad told me to stay away from you" she said not looking at him.

Ricky didn't even know why he came to talk to her so he shrugged "ok."

Before he could walk away Ashley sighed "Wait."

He looked over his shoulder to see her looking down "please…"

He didn't know what she was trying to say so he turned fully to her "please?"

Ashley shut her locker and grabbed his hand pulling him down a sparsely filled hallway, apparently Adrian was causing a scene elsewhere so no one they knew saw them. She led him to the secluded walk outside between the auto-shop class and the building for special-ed classes.

She turned dropping her school bag and pulling Ricky into a kiss, which he yet again gave into eagerly, when they broke apart he smirked "thought you were supposed to stay away from me? Aren't you still mad at me anyway?"

She shook her head "you know I can't stay mad at you… you didn't call last night."

He sighed "my mother stopped by… uh my birth mother."

"Are you ok?" she asked.

He sighed and was quiet for a minute "it's nothing really; she just stayed the night, catching up and all that."

Ashley knew he would tell her when he was ready so she nodded and kissed him again "can we please not fight anymore? When we're alone… you never have a problem with me…"

He shook his head "I don't have a problem with you when we're not either, I just have a problem with you getting angry at me. We're not together Ashley, and you get mad at me every time I sleep with someone else…"

"But we could be together" she pleaded.

"I… not now, we talked about this yesterday… if you can't handle that maybe we shouldn't even have whatever" he motioned between them "this is, right now."

Ashley didn't know how to respond to that, she wanted to be with him, she was so sure of it.

Ricky had nothing left to say and when the first bell rang he looked at Ashley again before walking away quietly.

Ashley watched him leave and didn't notice the lone tear that escaped her eye.


	2. Chapter II  Or Not

**Chapter II * Or Not**

Ricky's car came slowly to a stop; he parked near the front door his mother sitting next to him.

Nora shifted "thanks for the use of the car this morning" she dug into her purse "here's the key to the safety deposit box. If you know" she made a cutting motion on her neck "… just in case."

She sighed "all right then… you sure you don't want to go in?"

Ricky nodded "yeah I'm sure."

"Yeah" she agreed with him, before moving her arms to her neck "oh, and here, this is… this for you. Go ahead. Take it. Did wonders for me" she chuckled humorlessly.

"How can you make jokes at a time like this?" Ricky asked

"I don't know" she shrugged sadly "maybe it's because… for once I'm not thinking about myself. I'm thinking about you" she held back the tears she felt were coming "I'm gonna be thinking about you every day… for a while so…"

She tried to lighten the mood "Well, you know where to find me."

Ricky nodded "I know where to find you."

"Um, maybe you can send me some pictures of John, please?"

Ricky nodded silently.

Nora looked at her watch "All right then. Yeah I should go." She laughed and motioned with her hands "I'm gonna learn to speak Vietnamese. You really should have a goal when you're in there. You know something to do. Vietnamese." She repeated.

Shaking her head "all right I'm going" looking back to her son she smiled sadly extending her hand "bye."

He shook her hand and watched her exit after she closed the door and began walking away, he swallowed the lump in his throat "mom!" he said getting out of his car "mom!"

She turned to him as he jogged to her wrapping her in a hug trying to hold back his tears.

Nora smiled as she hugged him and stroked his hair "I'll be fine Ricky. Okay? It'll be fine."

They pulled apart and she smiled at him before turning to walk inside and turn herself in. She hopped up the steps and smiled at him one last time before going inside.

**xxxXxxx**

**Awhile Later**

**xxxXxxx**

Ricky had been crying since he left, he couldn't stop it. And that made him hate himself, his mother had just come back into his life to leave again. Worse than that though was the fact that he still loved her, no matter how much she didn't act like a mother she still was 'his' mother.

He had pulled up outside the Juergens house to check on John, he had tried to call a few girls to distract him from his feelings but it seemed he couldn't get ahold of any of them not even Zoe. He was almost to the point where he would call Adrian, no matter how much she had hurt him; he felt he 'needed' sex right now.

He stepped out of his car still looking at his phone trying to decide if he should call Adrian, when he looked up he saw the small window on the side of the garage had a light on in it still.

"Ashley" he mumbled to himself.

Looking at his phone then back to the garage he shut his phone and began walking.

Ashley was sitting at her desk sighing as she listened to music and did some homework, glancing at the clock she noticed it was nearly two a.m. "ugh" she said sleepily.

She stood to stretch only to hear a knock at her door. She turned and saw Ricky peek in the window, seeing her he opened the door and closed it behind him striding towards her quickly.

"Ricky?" was all she managed to as before her lips were silenced by his.

The sudden shock she felt didn't stop her from wrapping her arms around his neck, his arms wrapped around her waist and she felt him pull her towards her bed. She was confused, they had been fighting earlier and he never initiated contact between them but now he seemed very eager.

She was backed into the bed and moved to sit as Ricky pulled back and pulled his shirt off throwing it to the ground. He climbed over her making her lay down and kissing her fervently. She wiggled her way towards her pillows further up the bed all the while not breaking the kiss.

Her shirt was soon being pulled up and she helped him before tossing it aside. She had been in her pajama shirt and pants so there was no bra as her breasts were exposed to the night air, her nipples standing erect as Ricky's warm chest pressed into her and he kissed her again.

She heard him kick off his shoes as they clattered off her bed. He pulled his body up holding himself with one arm as he fumbled with his belt with his free hand. He placed a couple of heated kisses along her neck and breasts as he expertly removed his pants, his knees coming between hers making her spread her legs.

"Ricky" Ashley managed to moan as he pressed his boxer covered hard on into her core, only thin layer of clothes keeping them from their goal.

After a few minutes of making out and grinding on each other Ashley felt Rick hook his finger under the waist band and panties removing both with a practiced ease. His own socks and boxers were gone shortly after that and when he was back between her legs she felt his fully erect penis pressing at her virgin opening.

Not thinking or even bothering to, she was just glad Ricky was finally going to be with her, she let him press into her a couple times making sure she was 'wet' enough and his cock would be lubed enough to not cause to much pain.

She was enjoying the new sensations but was brought out of it when she felt him sheath himself in one quick thrust.

That had hurt.

Ashley had read many things about sex preparing herself for her first time, but the pain she felt was unique and she hadn't been ready for that even after all the stuff she had read. Her legs instinctively wrapped around Ricky her arms doing the same and she found her mouth crushed with a heavy kiss.

She battled the pain away as best she could and tried to distract herself with the kiss, but that really didn't help.

Ricky sighed as he felt the hot wetness that enveloped him, his mind was focused on sex and nothing else, exactly the way he wanted it. He moved as best he could but had to wait for Ashley to relax her legs a bit before he could really get into it, after what seemed like minutes to him her legs slowly relaxed.

He began thrusting trying to not seem too eager to get to his climax, soon Ashley was trying out different ways to rock her hips and match his thrusts. Eager to learn.

He used everything he knew, wanting to prolong the sex so he would hopefully not have to think about his feelings for a while longer. When he got too close to climax he would pull out and kiss his way down her body, ending up at her swollen neither region.

Ashley enjoyed some of the things he did, some of it was awkward and embarrassing but others turned her into putty. She had already came twice and rode out a small orgasm when he was using his tongue on her. She wasn't sure if he was even doing it for her, Ricky kind of seemed to be determined and they didn't exactly talk just moan and grunt.

Soon he was back up above her his hot pulsating cock buried back into her, and it was still slightly painful but she couldn't deny she was enjoying this.

Ricky finally gave in when he felt the girl shudder under him, probably another small orgasm. He had been surprised she was so easily pleased but didn't have time to think as his loins tightened and he shivered at the feeling of his hot seed shooting deep into the girl under him.

Ricky looked at Ashley; she had been asleep on him shortly after having sex not being able to stay awake to talk, which he was glad for. When she finally rolled off him he was fighting to stay awake, he glanced at the clock which read four-thirty a.m. sighing he slipped out of the bed carefully.

He gathered his clothes and began dressing quietly _'stupid, stupid, stupid… I should have just kept trying for someone else, I eventually would have gotten one… this won't end well.'_

Ricky was zipping up his pants when Ashley rolled over to his spot, he froze and waited with baited breath, but she didn't wake up at the loss of his heat. Pulling his shirt on he grabbed his shoes and scurried quietly to the door before silently exiting. Immediately he sprinted to his car and hopped in digging for his keys before finding them and taking off quickly.

**xxxXxxx**

**The Next Morning**

**xxxXxxx**

Ashley woke up and looked around groggily hearing her alarm clock, shutting it off she felt a soreness which brought back memories of last night. She began to smile until she realized Ricky wasn't in her room, she felt her chest tighten "this was not a one night stand" she whispered to herself "it can't be…"

Standing up gingerly she pulled her pajamas on with the intent to shower and find Ricky hoping he was just looking after John, she pulled her robe on after making her bed before grabbing her bathing supplies.

Ashley heard a knock at her door and prayed it was Ricky but almost sighed audibly at seeing her mother come in.

"Hi" Anne said glancing at her "good morning."

"Good morning" Ashley replied trying to keep up a smile.

"Well I talked to Amy" her mother said bringing Ashley back to what had been happening lately.

"And?" she asked hoping her mother hadn't told her sister about Adrian's pregnancy.

"Oh I didn't tell her" Anne said "Ben called last night and asked that none of us tell her. He's going there."

"To New York?" Ashley asked surprised.

"Mhmm" Anne said nodding.

"Well I guess that's better than a phone call or a text message" Ashley said.

"Yeah I guess" Anne said "Maybe at some point someone can take John to New York to see her. That'd make her feel better I think."

"Someone like Ricky?" Ashley asked her chest tightening "you… you think Ricky should go?"

"Ashley, come on. You and Ricky?"

"Me and Ricky what?"

"How do you really feel about him? Just tell me no judgment promise."

Ashley looked down "I love him" she said without hesitation.

Anne tried to hide her shock by smiling "ok." Turning to her daughter's bed she walked over to it "And do you think he feels the same way about you?"

"I…" Ashley didn't know how he felt, but she was about to tell her mother what had happened "I slept with him!"

Anne had been going to sit on Ashley's bed but missed as her daughter said those words making her land on the hard floor, scrambling back up she stared in shock "W-what!"

Ashley pulled her robes closed and looked away "last night… we slept together…"

"Oh Ashley… no" Anne said quietly "why? Please tell me why you did this…"

Ashley felt the tears in her eyes welling up "I love him mom! I really do, he's a different person when he's with me… last night, he came to me and it just happened…"

She saw the look on her mother's face but shook her head "It was my fault… I've been pressuring him to have sex for a while now, but he never gave in until… finally last night, it finally happened…"

Anne sat on the edge of the bed trying to take all of the information in while Ashley cried quietly "I'm sorry mom, but I do love him… please don't tell dad."

Anne watched her youngest daughter flee from her room, and she felt her own tears sliding down her face. She didn't have an answer for this situation.

**xxxXxxx**

**Grant High School**

**xxxXxxx**

Ricky had gotten in early since he hadn't been able to sleep making sure to grab all his things from his locker he waited in front of his first class with the full intent of avoiding Ashley for as long as possible. He even had his phone off, which he was sure she was calling.

Elsewhere in the school Lauren and Madison were talking amongst themselves "Ben is going to New York today."

Lauren nodded "I wonder how Amy is going to take the news."

Madison shrugged sadly "do you think she'll call us?"

Lauren scoffed "her best friends who knew about Adrian's pregnancy and didn't tell her?"

"Should we have told her?"

"Probably… I mean if that happened to me I would want to know, waiting to find out isn't going to soften the blow… we all ignored her."

Madison felt her mood drop more "well… maybe we should tell her? We can still call her."

Lauren shook her head "the damage is already done; let's just hope she forgives us."

The door near their locker swung open and Ashley walked briskly into the hallway looking around, she spotted them and came over "have you seen Ricky?"

"Uh no" Lauren said.

Madison shook her head and the two watched the younger girl walk away through the sea of kids slowly filling the hallway.

She had just checked the music room when she turned down another hall and saw Ricky leaning against the wall near a door to a classroom. She made her way towards him and he spotted her, she watched as he turned and tried the door before finding it locked, he glanced towards her and tried to walk down the hall.

But she had run to catch up with him and grabbed his arm "Ricky!"

He sighed "what?"

She moved them towards the wall and tried to keep her voice down "don't do this, please."

He shook his head "look last night… I couldn't get ahold of any of my usual… uh friends."

She noticed he wouldn't look her in the eye, her eyes threatened to spill tears "so I was just convenient?"

Ricky reigned in his feelings "yeah."

Ashley swallowed "please Ricky… I-I love you!' she whispered thickly.

He still refused to look her in the eyes "look I just needed sex; I should have gone to someone else…"

Her hand slipped from his arm as tears began to spill, Ricky had quickly turned his back to her, he knew she was better off without him. He seemed to screw up everything but his relationship with his son "sorry" he said quietly, too quietly because Ashley had not heard him… she just saw him walk away.

**xxxXxxx**

**New York**

**xxxXxxx**

Ben got out of the car with his father "You know what you're going to say?" Leo asked.

"Yeah. I'm uh… I'm gonna tell her what I told you I'm gonna tell her when we were on the plane."

Leo nodded "ok give it to me again."

"Dad…"

"No, no. really. The more times you say it to me the easier it will be to say it to her."

Ben sighed "dad, please. I already feel like I'm gonna throw up."

Leo shook his head "there's no throwing up. You're a grown-up. Now go ahead."

Ben swallowed "I love you. I've loved you from the first time I saw you. And ever since then, we've been through a lot together, and yet…"

"Don't pause there" Leo said making a fist "Drive it through. Keep going."

"And yet… darn what was it" Ben sighed.

"You and I have been through a lot together, and yet our problems have seemed to make us stronger." Leo reiterated "we've grown up a lot since we first met."

"I'll take it from there" Ben said then noticed a taxi pulling up "oh, no."

"All right. Stay strong," Leo said glancing at the cab and putting a hand on Ben's shoulder "keep your mood up, and don't slouch."

The door opened and Amy stepped out walking up to them, only she wasn't smiling.

*SLAP*

Ben staggered back and fell on his butt; he looked up at her shocked. Leo blinked in shock as Amy glared down at his son "Adrian is pregnant! With your child!"

"Uh um A-Amy… w-wait… how d-did you find out!" was all Ben got out before Amy was back in the taxi and leaving them standing there with a few onlookers.

Amy got back to her room and slammed the door shut, the tears wouldn't stop. She collapsed on the floor sobbing, she couldn't believe this. Her life seemed to always spiral out of control every time something was going good for her.

She wasn't sure how long she had laid there crying, she eventually made her way to her room and lay on her bed. After she had calmed down to only sniffles and hiccups she pulled out her phone turning it on seeing a few calls and texts from family, friends… and Ben.

She shook her head and dialed a number and put the phone to her ear, on the second ring she got through "h-hello."

She listened to the speaker for a minute "y-yeah I'm ok… I just wanted… I wanted t-to thank you" she sniffled "for telling me about Ben and Adrian…"

She listened for a while then smiled sadly "you're the only one I can trust… everyone else had avoided my phone calls."

Again she listened this time for over ten minutes before speaking "it's ok… yeah we can talk later, bye."

She shut her phone and fought from crying again.


End file.
